Coming Soon: Yahoo! Messenger IM API

Yahoo! will soon open up the platform behind the popular Yahoo! Messenger service.

This is big news. If you havent used Yahoo! Messenger, youre in for a treat. Yahoo! Messenger is the premier instant messaging (IM) platform, used on a wide variety of desktop and mobile clients. Millions of users throughout the world already depend on Yahoo! Messenger to manage their social contacts, group lists, and presence information; hold real-time instant communications; and perform data transfer to and from contacts throughout the world. All, well — instantly, as its name says.

Were listening to those developers among you who have been telling us they want to build on that trusted platform. By exposing a new RESTful API for Yahoo! Messenger, were allowing you to develop your own innovative programs and tools that make the most of what the Yahoo! IM platform can offer.

Developing for the platform is simple. All you need is a little knowledge of HTTP and JSON, and youll be connecting with people across the world in no time, no matter what programming environment youre using. And from there, just let your imagination run wild with the groundbreaking applications you can create.

Were very excited about releasing this platform, and we cant wait for you to get started. Check back into the Yahoo! Developer Network on June 30 for more information.

JUNE 28 UPDATE This is taking a little longer than we thought. However, well still be launching the new Yahoo Messenger IM APIs very soon (July timeframe). We have some last-minute details to take care of.

Let me say that we are really excited about the response and enthusiasm that weve received around the opening of the Yahoo! Messenger IM API platform. However, we want to make sure that these new APIs meet your expectations, that they are as simple as possible, and that they contain all the key features that you need to develop great applications and services.

For this reason, well be in contact really soon Gotta get back to work!